Perforating, embossing, or indenting device.



PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

' E. G. BATES.

APPLICATION FILED P3116, 1904.

PEHFOBATTING, EMBOSSING, 0R INDENTING DEVICE.

f XZW Patented It'iarch 1905.

EDWIN G. BATES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BAT S MACHINE COMPANY, OF N EVV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF N EW JERSEY.

PERFOFEA'HING, EMBOS$lNG, OR HNDENTHNGI lDEVlGlE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,025, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed February 6, 1904. Serial No. 192,339.

To (11/. 711710117, it 71m, concern.-

Be it known that 1, EDWIN (Jr. BATES, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Perforating, Embossing, or Indenting Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in perforating, embossing, and indenting devices, such as may be employed in printing-presses to perforate, emboss,'or indent the paper during a printing operation.

My invention consists in an improved means for operating the die or cutter, in an improved construction and mechanism for moving the die or cutter below the level of the type-surface, so that during inking operation it will be out of the way of the ink-rollers, whereby cutting or other injury to the rollers will be avoided and. the die or cutter will be kept clean and free from ink in order that a colorless cut or impression shall be effected upon their operation, in an improved construction and arrangement of parts whereby a multiple of units may be employed and any unit may be attached directly to the operating-head or to another unit interchangeably in a novel form of cutter or perforator, and in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully pointed out hereinafter.

The objects of my invention are to effect a colorless cut, perforation, emboss, or imprint during printing operation in a simple, eflicient, and entirely automatic manner, to make the various parts of the device or mechanism therefor interchangeable and readily extensible, to improve and simplify the operating mechanism, and to effect a perforation of a form and shape which shall remove no portion of the paper during the perforating operation, leave greatest strength to the paper. permit ready tearing of the paper in the line of perforations when desired, and give a good appearance to the paper when severed along the torn edge.

1 will now proceed to describe mechanism .cutting, perforating, embossing, or imprintembodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in the claims.

Figure 1 is a face view of a n'inting-form with a device embodying my invention included therein. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a device embodying my invention removed from the form and with one of the casing-plates removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts in a different position. Fig. 4c is a top view of one of the units employed. Fig. 5 a view in tral'isverse section of the operating-howl, the plane of section being upon the line of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a face view of the operating device. Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section of one of the units. the plane of section being upon the line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a similar cross-sectional view. the plane of section being taken upon the line 8 8 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a detailed view in longitudinal section through the cutter-liar, showing the stripper. Fig. 10 is a view of a 7 piece of paper or similar material perforated according to my invention and partially turned upon the line of perforations.

The device herein is adapted for colorless ing, according to the nature of the die or cutter employed, the operating mechanism being identical in any case. Specifically, I. employ a peculiar form and construction 0 l' cutter adapted for making a series of arch-shaped perforations arranged in a longitudimtl row, substantially as illustrated in Fig. ll). lhese perforations are made for the purpose 0 f causing paper or similar material to be torn along a predetermined line when desired. Heretofore the most approved form of perforation has been a circular perforation in which a plurality of minute disks of paper have been removed. This method of perforating is commonly employed in connection with sheets of postage-stain is. 9 Such perforating, however, must necessarily be done at a different time to the time of printing for the reason that the small disks of paper thus removed would be apt to get on the type or inking-rollers and spoil the im- )5 pressions. In order to perforate during a printing operation, cutters have been used for making straight cuts or perforations in a longitudin al line with short spaces between them. In this way no portion of the paper is removed; but there are many objections to this form of perforating: first, the paper is much weakened along-the line of perforations and is liable to break when not desired; second, in tearing along these lines of perforations a slight divergence in the line of strain is liable to cause the paper to tear out of the line of perforations, and, third, the appearance of the edges of the material when torn is not as good as where circular perforations are employed.

With my improved form of cutter I make a plurality of arch-shaped perforations arranged in the line in which it is desired that the paper shall be torn, a plurality of the cut ters being arranged in a longitudinal row, each cutter having a cutting edge which twice crosses a line running centrally through said longitudinal row, but crosses lines at right angles thereto but once. The effect of this is to weaken the paper no more than the paper is weakened by circular perforations therein, while obtaining almost all the desirable benefits of such circular perforations. The paper will tear readily from one perforation to another without tendency to divergence, while the paper will not be weakened as with the slits above referred to and the appearance of the edges of the paper when torn is quite similar to the appearance of the edges of the paper when torn alonga line of circular perforations. The edge of one portion of the material will be precisely similar to the edges of material torn along a line of circular perforations, while the other edge Will have a general appearance quite similar thereto. Actually the edge will comprise a plurality of small projecting portions instead of indentations. Fig. 10 shows a piece of paper perforated with a plurality of cutters of this description and partially torn along said line of perforations. illustrated are semi annular in form and spaced apart so as to effect a series of semiannular perforations with spaces between them. Other than semi-annular forms of cutters may of course be employed so long as they retain the peculiar arch-shape characteristic above referred to, each arch-shaped perforation in a row twice crossing a line longitudinally through the row and lines at right angles thereto but once.

Referring to the drawings, a cutter-bar is shown at 1, provided with a plurality of semiannular cutters 2. These cutters are mounted in and suitably secured to the said cutter-bar and are spaced the required distance apart. The cutter-bar is provided on one side with a groove 3, into which grooves the sockets 4: for receiving the stems of the cutters 2 communicate. The cutters are preferably held by friction in the cutter-bar, and should it be desired to remove a cutter they may readily be displaced by a blow at the rear end The cutters.

of their stems, a punch received in the groove 3 being employed for this purpose.

The cutter-bar 1 is mounted in a suitable casing 5, having two side plates 6 and 7 and a base 8. Guide-pins 9, secured to the said plates and passing through slots 10 in the cutterbar form a guide for the said cutter-bar to prevent other than perpendicular movements thereof with respect to the casing. The slots and pins also tend to limit the outward movement of the cutter-bar. At the rear the cutter-bar is provided with a number of projections 11 11 12 12. The projections 12 have cam-surfaces l3 and 14: for engagement with corresponding surfaces 15 and 16 in an operating bar or member 17. The operating bar or member 17 is arranged between the walls of the side plates 6 7 of the casing and between the inner wall of the base 8 and the rear of the cutter-bar 1. The operating-bar has also recesses 18 for receiving the projections 11' of the cutter-bar. \Vhen the operating-bar is moved longitudinally in one direction, as from the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to the position shown in Fig. 3, the cam-surfaces 15 thereof engaging the cam-surfaces 13 force the cutter-bar to the full distance permitted by the pins and slots 9and 10 and then will pass on so as to form a rigid backing for the said cutter-bar, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. \Vhen the operatingbar 17 is moved longitudinally in a reverse directionthat is, from a position as shown in Fig. 3 to a position as shown in Fig. 2*the cam-surfaces 16 will engage the cam-surfaces lt so as to positively effect the return movement of the cutter-bar, the position of the cutter-bar being then as shown in Fig. 2. Stops 19 limit longitudinal movement of the operating-bar 17.

By the foregoing it will be seen that the cam-surfaces l3 and 15 constitute forward cam-faces, while the cam-surfaces let and 16 constitute return cam-faces, and that while the forward cam-faces may be overridden the return cam-faces, having greater length than the forward cam-faces or projecting beyond the limit of the forward cam-faces, will always be in a position for engagement, even after the cutter-bar has passed beyond the limit of control of the forward camfaces. The return cam-faces in the present example of my invention cross the plane of engagement of the intermediate surfaces between the operating-bar and the cutter-bar, as will be clearly seen by reference to the drawings. The cutter-bar will therefore be positively returned to its initial position under the control of the operating-bar without necessary employment of springs or like devices for effecting initial movement.

Each device comprising a cutter-bar 1 and suitable cutters or dies carried thereby, a casing 5, and an operating-bar 17 is herein designated a unit, and each unit is arranged to be connected at either end to a corresponding unit and at one end to a corresponding unit or to an operating-head; A plurality of units thus connected together and to a single operating-head are arranged to be simultaneously operated by the one head. and 3 l have shown a unit connected at one end to an operating-head and at the other end to the opposite end of a corresponding unit. For the purpose of such connection one end of the said operating-bar is "arranged to overhang, as at 20, such overhanging end provided with a notch 21 and atooth 252. The opposite end of the operating-bar terminates inside the casing at a distance away from the end corresponding to the overhanging portion 20 and is provided with a notch 23 and a tooth 24-, arranged to engage a tooth and notch 22 9.1 of the operating-bar of a corresponding unit.

The operating-head comprises a casing 25, a head 26, provided with stems 27, suitably mounted in corresponding orifices 2.8 in the casing 25, pins 29 for limiting the movement of the head, a spring 30 for forcing the head outward, a rack 31, secured to the head, and an operating gear or sector 32, rotatably mounted upon a stud 33. The sector 32 has a tooth or projection 34, arranged to be received within the notch 21 of the operating-bar of any of the units, the overhangingeml 20 of such operating-l ar being received within a slot or open- 7 ing 35 in the said casing. Said casing is preferably provided with a removable portion 36 to permit access to the operating-sector and ready assemblage ofthe parts.

in operation as many of the units as are desired to make up the length of line to be perforated are connected together and an operating-howl is connected to the end of the first unit. The operating-heiul and units so connected are locked up together with type, etc, in a printers form and the device is then ready for operation. The cutters are arranged at this time with their cutting edges beneath the surface of the type, so that during inking operation the ink-rollers will not be damaged by the cutters nor will the cutters re ceive ink therefrom. The operating-hezul 26 is arranged considerably beyond the face of the type and during printing operation will be engaged by the platen and forced inwardly. The effect of this movement will be to rotate the sector 32 upon its axis and to move the operating bars and various units longitudinall y. This will force the cutter-bar outward and the cutters carried thereby into operative position beyond the level of the surface of the type. Thus perforating, indenting, or embossing will be effected, and after such perforating, indenting, or embossing and printing the movement of the form and the platen away from each other, as is common in printing-presses, will result in the head 26 being forced by the spring 30 back to its normal In Figs. 2

position and the cutter-bars withdrawn to a position with their cutters or dies below typelevel.

The casings 5 of the die or cutter units and the casing 25 of the operating-head are arranged to engage and interlock with each other, the end of the casing 5 being accurately fitted to a portion of the slot or open ing and a pin 37 arranged to be received within an orifice 38 in the casing 5.

lVhile l have shown herein but one form of cutter, it will be of course understood that the cutter-bar is adapted for carrying other forms of cutters or may carry suitable dies for embossing or indenting, as may be de sired, and, in fact, is adapted for carrying any desired means for effecting colorless cutting, perforating, indenting, or embossing.

In Fig. 1 i. have shown three sets of my devices, each comprising a plurality of die or cutter units and an operating-head. Two of the sets are arranged at right angles to the other set, and in order that the perforations of one set may be continued close to the perforations of a set at right angles thereto 1 have arranged the die or cutter-bars with overhanging portions,whereby the die or cutter-bar of one unit may overhan the casin of another unit when thus arranged at right angles thereto.

WV here perforating-cutters are used, I preferably employ a stripper, which stripper may be conveniently carried by the cutter-bar so that it may move therewith to retreat below type-level during an inking operation. The stripper herein comprises a bar 40, having guiding-stems ll, mounted in recesses a2 in the said bar and provided with stop-pins 4-3 forlimiting their movements. Springs -14 tend to force the stripper outward, but the stoppins limit the outward movement, so that when in their inner positions the stripperbars will be below type-level, as above stated.

In Fig. '7 the strippers are shown as in their normal out-of-operation position with the cutter-bar in its rearward position. In Fig.- 8 the cutter-bar is shown as forced outward, while the stripper is in its rearmost position, into which position it is forced by contact with the paper or other material being perforated. Upon the return movement of the cutter-bar the springs 44 force the stripper outward again and strip the paper from the cutters.

It will be obvious that the foregoing is but one embodiment of my invention and that the same is capable of many and varied Inodiiiea tions within the spirit and scope of my invention, and, further, that certain parts may be employed in connection with other parts of different construction. Hence I. do not desire to be limited only to the precise details of construction and combination of parts herein.

that I claim is 1. A cutter-bar for printing-press perforating attachments, comprising a plurality of semi-annular cutters, spaced apart for effecting a series of cuts With intervening unsevered portions or connections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A cutter-bar for printing-press perforating attachments, comprising a plurality of arch-shaped cutters spaced apart for effecting a series of cuts with intervening unsevered portions or connections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A cutter-bar for printing-press perforating attachments, comprising a plurality of cutters spaced apart in a longitudinal row, each cutter having a cutting edge which twice crosses a line running centrally through said longitudinal row, but crosses lines at right angles thereto but once, whereby arch-shaped perforations will be eifected without removal of any portion of the material perforated, and intervening unsevered portions or connections will remain.

t. In a device of the character described,the combination with an operating-head, of a plurality of units each comprising a casing, a perforating, indenting or embossing bar, and an operating member, the operating member of each of said units having means for connecting it at one end with the opposite end of the operating member of a corresponding unit, and at the other end for connecting it with the operating mechanism of the operating-head, or with the operating member of another corresponding unit. 7

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a die or cutter-bar, of a longitudinally-movable operating-bar engaging same, said cutter-bar and operating-bar having two sets of oppositely-disposed coacting cam-surfaces, one set of cam-surfaces having greater length than the other.

6. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a die or cutter-bar, of a longitudinally-movable operating-bar engaging same, said cutter-bar and operating-bar having coacting forward and return cam-faces for causing positive movements of the cutter-bar in both directions, the return cam-faces projecting beyond the forward cam-faces.

7. lnadevice of the character described, the combination with a die or cutter-bar, of a longitudinally-movable operating-bar engaging same, said cutter-bar and operating-bar having coacting forward and return cam-surfaces and intermediate surfaces permitting excess longitudinal movement of the operating-bar without corresponding movement of the die or cutter-bar, said return cam-faces arranged to cross the plane of engagement of the said intermediate surfaces so as to engage each other after the cutter-bar has received the limit of its movement from the said forward cam-surfaces.

8. In adevice of the characterdescribed, the combination with a die or cutter-bar and a longitudinally-movable bar operating same, of an operating head comprising a reciprocating rack-bar, and a gear engaging said rack-bar, said gear connected to said longitudinallymovable operating-bar.

9. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a die or cutter-bar and a longitudinally-movable bar operating same, of an operatinghead comprising a reciprocating rack-bar, and a gear engaging said rack-bar, said gear provided with a projecting tooth arranged to engage a correspondingnotch in the said operating-bar.

10. In a device of the character describe 1, the combination with a die or cutter-bar and a longitudinally-movable bar operating same, of an operating-head comprising a spring-returned reciprocating rack-bar, and a gear engaging said rack-bar, said gear connected to said longitudinally-movable operating-bar.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with an operating-head comprising a casing, and a rocking gear mounted thereon, arranged to engage an operating-bar, of an independent device comprising a casing, a die or cutter-bar, and a longitudinally-movable operating-bar engaging and arranged to operate said die or cutter-bar, the said lastnamed casing arranged to engage and interlock with the casing of the operating-head, and the said operating-bar arranged to be engaged by said rocking gear.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination with a die or cutter-bar mount-' ed therein, and means for moving said die or cutter-bar back and forth with respect to said casing, said cutter-bar including a plurality of cutters arranged in a longitudinal row, of a spring-pressed stripper-bar arranged longitudinally at one side of said cutters, said stripper-bar having guiding-stems mounted in suitable recesses in said cutter-bar, whereby said stripper is carried by said bar, but is movable with respect thereto.

EDWIN Ur. BATES.

WVitnesses:

C. F. (JARniNeToN, MINERVA Pare. 

